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Delays were being seen in both local traffic in the Helsinki region and in some long-haul rail services, with special bus and tram arrangements for commuters.

Two cars of a local K train from Kerava to Helsinki came off their tracks just north of the Helsinki Railway Station's rail yard around 5.05 pm. The accident occurred near Töölö Bay between the Helsinki and Pasila stations. The cars knocked over an electric pole, cutting off power to the area.

The rail officials say the incident will continue to affect train service throughout most of the country while repairs are underway.

The Helsinki-Hämeenlinna-Tampere route, the nation's busiest, is back in operation, but with some cancellations and delays running up to about 20 minutes.

Local trains that normally run on the mainline tracks are operating only as far as Pasila station.

Extra bus services are available between Malmi and the main Helsinki railway station, as well as between Tikkurila and Hakaniemi. There is also a special tram service, 7X , operating between Pasila and the Railway Square in the centre.

VR says that trains on the coastal route between Turku and the capital are running normally.

The Rail Department of the Finnish Transport Agency says that no-one was injured in the incident.

VR Safety Director Yrjö Poutiainen said on Tuesday morning that clean-up and repairs in the main station's railyard are likely to take several days.

The Accident Investigation Board is to probe the mishap.

The derailment comes at a bad time for VR, which is just emerging from a winter of nearly-constant delays and another accident at Helsinki Railway Station. In January, four runaway empty wagons crashed into a building at the station, causing millions of euros worth of damage. The accident hindered train travel for several days. No-one was seriously injured in that crash either.